the transitional government of national unity, so to speak, that the united states and russia would try to then sell to the u.n. security council. >> is there any indication that moscow is prepared, or moving toward the decision of putting its eggs in assad's basket is not the thing to do? are you seeing any shift in russia's position? >> i do not detect a shift in the position exactly. but what i do think what we're seeing is a change in the russian and of a court judgment as to whether or not president bashar al-assad is going to survive politically. until recently cannot -- until recently, the russian conclusion is that he would survive. i think they have come to a different conclusion of together. now is a question of whether the policy it lined up with the alico conclusion. >> you have been working on this. if assad had gone a year ago, would the future of syria be clearer, easier than if he is to go in the next six months, let's say? >> i really believe if president assad had cooperated with a managed, peaceful transition some time back, syria oppose the prospects would be much be